Lightweight gear housing

ABSTRACT

A lightweight, split housing is provided for drive gears for locomotives wheels by a pair of lightweight shells with the open edge on one shell having rigidifying means secured thereto and projecting therefrom for complementary rigidifying cooperation with the open edge of the other shell.

[ 51 June6,1972

United States Patent Lock 504,338 9/1893 Forbesetal.............................74/609 7/1901 Cox...........

[54] LIGHTWEIGHT GEAR HOUSING [72] Inventor: Harry R. Lock, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Power Parts Company 22] Filed: Sept. 18,1970

Primary Examiner-William F. O'Dea Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker Attorney-Lettvin & Gerstman 211 Appl. No.: 73,440

ABSTRACT split housing is provided for drive gears for comotives wheels by a pair of lightweight shells with the open edge on one shell having rigidifying means secured thereto and projecting therefrom for complementary rigidifying cooperation with the open edge of the other shell.

l C t n I l 1 5 5 Claims, 10 Drawing figures References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 1,048,328 Mai2e................. ....74/609 PATENTEDJuN smz 3,667,318

sum 10F 2 73 74 36 Hymn/roe LIGHTWEIGHT GEAR HOUSING FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The drive gears for the wheels of a diesel locomotive are normally enclosed in a split housing of steel which weighs approximately 210 pounds and is so located adjacent the wheel as to provide a substantial imbalance and to be located closely (within about 4 inches at the closest spacing) from the roadbed. Rocks that may be thrown up against the housing impart substantial impact stress that could cause failure of the housing material. In derailments, much damage may be caused by and to such housings and field repairs are difficult to accomplish because of the substantial weight of the housing sections. If a gear housing of steel should fall, from impact stresses or vibrational stresses, and fall from position, it has been known to cause derailments that are expensive and dangerous to life and property.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved gear housing that avoids the aforesaid problems. Thus, many of the foregoing disadvantages of gear housings formed of steel will be obviated by the present invention in which first and second gear-housing shells are molded of a plastic-impregnated fiberglass, with each shell having an open peripheral edge, portions of which are adapted to substantially complement portions of the open edge of the other shell. A rigidifying peripheral means is secured to the open edge of only one shell and projects therefrom for rigidifying cooperation with portions of the open edge of the other shell.

Utilizing the lightweight gear housing of the present invention, vibration problems are reduced because of lowered response to vibration by the plastic-impregnated fiberglass material, and the impact stresses of rocksthrown up against the housing are dissipated more readily and effectively than with a steel housing. Rigid peripheral means carried by one of the housing shells for cooperation with the open edge of the other shell provides necessary rigidity. Further, a typical gear housing according to the principles of the present invention weighs in the range of approximately 35 pounds, can be handled in the field more readily than steel housings, can be manufactured less expensively and efficiently and will not cause the detrimental imbalance caused by the presence of a large number of heavy steel housings at one side of the locomotive.

Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the more detailed explanation which is provided in the following description and claims, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one side, the front, of one form of a gear housing constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and illustrating in fragmentary view the typical arrangement of shafts and gears with which the gear housing is to cooperate;

FIG. 3 is another elevational view of the gear housing of FIG. 1 but showing the obverse or rear side of the housing;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view taken looking upwardly from below FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of one form of shell-edge rigidifying means, and is taken substantially along line 5-5 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of one type of gasket retainer taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of another type of gasket retainer, and for example is taken substantially on line 77 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7a is similar to FIG. 7' but shows a modified fonn of mounting for a gasket retainer of the type shown in FIG. 7, and particularly for use with an internal brace for a molded shell;

FIG. 8 is a reduced perspective view of the gear casing of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the gear casing of FIG. 8 with the two shell sections of the gear casing positioned side-byside to more clearly show the peripheral opening configuration of the shells and illustrating a modification of rigidifying structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring to drawings, FIG. 2'shows the typical environment of the gear housing 10 which is adapted for enclosing pinion gear 12 and ring or drive gear 16. The pinion gear is keyed to and rotated by drive shaft 14. The ring gear 16 is keyed to and rotates with axle 18. The drive shaft 14 enters through one wall of the housing 10, while axle 18 extends through the spaced side walls of the housing.

Turning now to the housing 10, the same comprises a first shell 20 molded of a plastic-impregnated fiberglass that connects to and complements a second shell 22 molded of the same material. The molded shells could be formed of a plastic material that has a sufiiciently high melt point. The open peripheral edges of the shells include recesses which cooperate with each other to form shaft-receiving apertures 24 and 26 defined in the assembled front wall of the casing, and shaft-receiving aperture 28 defined in the assembled rear wall of the casing. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, a portion of the drive shaft 14 extends through aperture 26 and portions of axle 18 extend through aligned apertures 24 and 28.

In order to efiectively utilize housing sections in the form of molded shells, one of the shells, specifically the shell 22 is provided with a rigidified periphery at its open edge by a metal strip 30 having a generally H-shaped cross-sectional configuration fastened by suitable fastening means, such as rivets, 32 to a portion of the open edge 33 of said shell 22. As seen in FIG. 5, one groove of strip 30 is of lesser width to snugly receive therein the thickness of molded material adjacent edge 33 to provide a secure and rigid connection between the spaced flanges of the H-section that are clamped against the opposite sides of the plastic wall of shell 22. The H-section strip 30 projects beyond the plane of the open edge of shell 22 for engaging and rigidifying cooperation with complementary portions of the open edge of the other shell 20. Thus, the other groove of member 30 is of greater width than the thickness of shell wall 36 and has a gasket '34, such as of felt, located therein against which the open edge 36 of shell 20 abuts. The greater width of the said groove in strip 30 that receives the free complementary edge portions 36 of shell 20 accommodates the telescoping interfitting without too great difficulty, while gasket 34 not only effects sealing with the edge 36 but when compressed expands laterally outwardly to sealingly engage the spaced walls on the strip 30 which bound said groove.

FIG. 6 illustrates one form of structure that may be used for both rigidifying the edge of each semi-circular opening in a shell 20 or 22 and for providing a journal seal. A multiplechannel member 38 of semi-circular extent is attached adjacent each semi-circular portion of opening 24 provided for receiving the axle 18. The member 38 includes a radially-outwardly extending semi-annular mounting flange 39 that is secured by a plurality of rivets 40 to the outer side of the section adjacent the semi-circular opening therein. Each member 38 is provided with four spaced, radially inwardly extending flanges arranged to bound three semi-annular grooves 41, 42 and 43 that are adapted to receive one or more gaskets therein. As shown, two axially spaced, semi-circular gaskets 44 are provided in grooves 41 and 43.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, portions of the H-section 30 that are located outwardly of the walls of shells 20 and 22 and would normally interfere with the arcuate extent of members 38 have been cut away so that the two members 38 remain available to substantially define a circular gasket retainer. The ends of member 38 on shell 22 are welded to adjacent portions of I-I-section 30 to provide a continuous rigid periphery for all of the open edge of only the one shell 22.

FIG. 7 illustrates another form of edge-rigidying and gasketretaining member 50 similar to member 38 shown in FIG. 6, but providing only a single gasket-retaining groove therein. Member 50 provides a radially-outwardly extending semi-annular mounting flange 51 that is secured by a plurality of rivets 52 to the outside of the side wall of the molded shell adjacent .the semi-circular opening therein. The member 50 provides two radially-inwardly extending semi-annular flanges arranged to bound groove 54 that is adapted to receive gasket 56 therein for sealing engagement with axle 18 as seen in FIG. 2.

The laterally innermost one of the flanges of the gasket retainers 38 of FIG. 6 and 50 of FIG. 9 lies immediately adjacent the shell s side wall for rigidifying same, and all radiallyinwardly extending gasket-engaging flanges both in FIGS. 6 and 9 extend radiallyslightly-inwardly of the edge of the molded shell while the gaskets extend radially-slightly-inwardly of the inner edges of the gasket-engaging flanges. The ends of gasket-retaining members 50 are welded to H-section 30 as described above in connection with the gasket retainer of FIG. 6 in order to complete the edgewise peripheral rigidification of the one shell 22.

FIG. 7a shows a modified form of mounting for a gasket retainer of the type shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 7a the member 50' is shaped to provide an additional flange 51a opposite to and spaced from flange 51 so as to engage opposite surfaces of the edge portion of plastic surrounding the opening such as 24, 26, or 28 in FIG. 8. The rivets 52 extend through flanges 51 and 51a to clamp onto the shell edge as also seen in FIG. 7a The two flanges 51 and 51a together provide greater rigidity and also provide a metal segment on the inner side of the shell 20 or 22 to which additional rigidifying means may be connected as will bedescribed in connection with a modification of shell 22. This arrangement of opposed flanges 51 and 51a may also be provided with the multiple gasket retainer shown in FIG. 6.

As a modification of shell 22 to provide greater rigidification thereof, attention is directed to brace 58 shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 3 and shown in FIG. 9. The additional means for rigidifying molded shell 22 without substantially increasing its weight includes a transverse U-shaped brace 58 located at a point intermediate the longitudinal ends of shell 22 and inwardly of the shell adjacent the side walls thereof, and welded at the ends of the legs of the U to the peripheral rigidification frame of shell 22. An inwardly located mounting flange, such as shown at 51a is FIG. 7a should be provided when brace 58 is to be used.

The H-section 30, and gasket retainer members 38 and 50, or 38' and 50', and brace 58 are all made of metal, and preferably are of hardened aluminum. It will be understood from the detail of FIG. that the mid-height of I-I-section 30 lies substantially in the mating plane of the open peripheral edges of the shells and 22 with which said section 30 cooperates.

The shell section 22 is provided with a fill-cap sub-assembly 60 for enabling the housing to be filled with suitable lubricating grease. Fill-cap assembly 60 comprises a cover member 62 that covers a lubricant-fill-opening 63 in shell 22 and is retained on the shell 22 by means of a resilient beam-like retainer strap 64 that is removably latched or engaged at its ends to spaced apertured retaining members 66 that are bolted, or riveted, to the shell.

Securement means are provided at each end of the pair of shells 20 and 22 for clamping the two shells together. Thus, the shells 20 and 22 are each elongated to provide abutment portions that are spaced longitudinally outwardly of, and also offset from, the plane of the shell edges and of the rigidifying frame means 30. Each such abutment portion is shaped to provide a reinforced pocket formed integral with the shell and bounded by a transverse abutment flange and spaced lateral flanges. The shell 20 provides abutment flanges 74 and 76 lying in a plane spaced from but parallel to the open edge of the shell. .Each abutment flange is integral with a pair of laterally spaced reinforcing flanges 78 that cooperate with the abutment flange to define an endwise opening pocket 80 that is bounded at its inner end wall by the shell 20. Bores 75 and 77 respectively through abutment flanges 74 and 76 are provided to receive the shank of a bolt means therethrough, and the head or nut of the bolt means will be located in pocket 80, as will be understood by one skilled in the an.

The opposite shell 22 provides similar pocket means 82 for receiving bolt portions, except that the transverse abutment flanges are designated at 84, being apertured at 85, and being integral with spaced reinforcing flanges 86. The height of one set of flanges 86 at one end of shell 22 are reduced (FIGS. 1 and 3) to accommodate the presence of the fill-cap sub-assembly 60.

The pockets 80 on shell 20 are partially lined with a flexible, laminated, asbestos sheet 88 in the form of a U-shaped saddle portion positioned against, and substantially completely shielding, the lateral flanges 78 and abutment flange 74 or 76, and with an aperture through the Us bight. The sheet 88 also includes an attached tab 89, of the same width as the length of the Us bight, positioned against and substantially completely shielding the inner end wall of the shell 20. The apertured bight 88a of sheet 88 permits the bolt means to pass through and retain the shield 88 in position, and a supplemental attachment bolt connects to shell 20 and maintains flap 89 in position. Since the securement portion of the bolt means, such as the head or nut, will be located in the pocket 80 bounded by said asbestos sheet 8889, the use of a torch to cut through the shank of the bolt means will permit of field disassembly without the heat of the torch destroying the adjacent portions of the pocket 80 or shell 20 that are protected by the heat resistant sheet 88.

It is seen that a gear housing formed of molded shells of a plastic-impregnated fiberglass has been provided which is structurally rigid, lightweight and can be manufactured efirciently to provide significant advantages over gear housings formed of steel. Although an illustrative embodiment has been shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the an without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a split housing for enclosing and retaining grease therein for the drive gear of a diesel locomotives wheel, the improvement comprising, in combination: first and second housing shells of a molded material capable of dissipating and resisting impact forces, each shell having an open peripheral edge, portions of said peripheral edge being located substantially in a mating plane and being adapted to complement similar portions of the open edge of the other shell to define the housing for enclosing the drive gears of the diesel locomotives wheels, each shell having recessed peripheral edge portions shaped to accommodate shaft means that extend through one or more of the walls of the housing, rigidifying periphery means secured to the open edge of only one shell and projecting therefrom beyond the said mating plane for engaging and rigidifying cooperation with the complementary portions of the open edge of the other shell, each shell having rigid semicircular gasket retainers along the recessed edge portions thereof for retaining shaft-engaging gasket means therein, and each shell being elongated and having a pair of outwardly extending flanges at the ends of the shell adapted to be biased by Securement-bolt means toward a mating flange on the other shell, so as to hold the housing assembled, and an asbestos shield secured to at least one flange of each pair of mating flanges, and adapted to be interposed between the shell and the securement-bolt means for protecting the shell from heat of a cutting torch used to sever the Securement-bolt means for removal from the housing in the event that field repair is required.

2. In a split housing for enclosing and retaining grease therein for the drive gear of a diesel locomotives wheel, the

improvement comprising, in combination: first and second housing shells of a molded material capable of dissipating and resisting impact forces, each shell having an open peripheral edge, portions of said peripheral edge being located substantially in a mating plane and being adapted to complement similar portions of the open edge of the other shell to define the housing for enclosing the drive gears of the diesel locomotives wheels, each shell having recessed peripheral edge portions shaped to accommodate shaft means that extend through one or more of the walls of the housing, rigidifying periphery means secured to the open edge of only one shell and projecting therefrom beyond the said mating plane for engaging and rigidifying cooperation with the complementary portions of the open edge of the other shell, each shell having rigid semicircular gasket retainers along the recessed edge portions thereof for retaining shaft-engaging gasket means therein, and

a generally U-shaped rigid brace located within a shell adjacent the inner surface of the shell and secured at the ends of its legs to rigid gasket retainers carried on spaced walls of the molded shell.

3. A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein said molded material is plastic impregnated fiberglass, and said rigidifying periphery means consisting of hardened aluminum.

4. A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rigidifying periphery means provides along its length a narrow-width recess for receiving the complementary molded edge portions of the other shell therein, and-having spaced lateral walls partially bounding the recess to provide lateral rigidity for said molded edge portions.

5 A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein the gasket retainers are secured adjacent the outer surface of the shells, and the ends of the gasket retainers on the one shell being welded to the rigidifying peripheral means to provide a continuous rigidified edge frame on the one shell. 

1. In a split housing for enclosing and retaining grease therein for the drive gear of a diesel locomotive''s wheel, the improvement comprising, in combination: first and second housing shells of a molded Material capable of dissipating and resisting impact forces, each shell having an open peripheral edge, portions of said peripheral edge being located substantially in a mating plane and being adapted to complement similar portions of the open edge of the other shell to define the housing for enclosing the drive gears of the diesel locomotive''s wheels, each shell having recessed peripheral edge portions shaped to accommodate shaft means that extend through one or more of the walls of the housing, rigidifying periphery means secured to the open edge of only one shell and projecting therefrom beyond the said mating plane for engaging and rigidifying cooperation with the complementary portions of the open edge of the other shell, each shell having rigid semi-circular gasket retainers along the recessed edge portions thereof for retaining shaft-engaging gasket means therein, and each shell being elongated and having a pair of outwardly extending flanges at the ends of the shell adapted to be biased by securement-bolt means toward a mating flange on the other shell, so as to hold the housing assembled, and an asbestos shield secured to at least one flange of each pair of mating flanges, and adapted to be interposed between the shell and the securement-bolt means for protecting the shell from heat of a cutting torch used to sever the securement-bolt means for removal from the housing in the event that field repair is required.
 2. In a split housing for enclosing and retaining grease therein for the drive gear of a diesel locomotive''s wheel, the improvement comprising, in combination: first and second housing shells of a molded material capable of dissipating and resisting impact forces, each shell having an open peripheral edge, portions of said peripheral edge being located substantially in a mating plane and being adapted to complement similar portions of the open edge of the other shell to define the housing for enclosing the drive gears of the diesel locomotive''s wheels, each shell having recessed peripheral edge portions shaped to accommodate shaft means that extend through one or more of the walls of the housing, rigidifying periphery means secured to the open edge of only one shell and projecting therefrom beyond the said mating plane for engaging and rigidifying cooperation with the complementary portions of the open edge of the other shell, each shell having rigid semi-circular gasket retainers along the recessed edge portions thereof for retaining shaft-engaging gasket means therein, and a generally U-shaped rigid brace located within a shell adjacent the inner surface of the shell and secured at the ends of its legs to rigid gasket retainers carried on spaced walls of the molded shell.
 3. A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein said molded material is plastic impregnated fiberglass, and said rigidifying periphery means consisting of hardened aluminum.
 4. A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rigidifying periphery means provides along its length a narrow-width recess for receiving the complementary molded edge portions of the other shell therein, and having spaced lateral walls partially bounding the recess to provide lateral rigidity for said molded edge portions.
 5. A housing as set forth in claim 2, wherein the gasket retainers are secured adjacent the outer surface of the shells, and the ends of the gasket retainers on the one shell being welded to the rigidifying peripheral means to provide a continuous rigidified edge frame on the one shell. 